Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 209
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF, introducing the Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 209
Question 1
Who wrote in their journal:
I did not sleep at all last night. It hurts like the devil! A snowstorm whipping through my soul, wailing like a hundred jackals. Still no obvious symptoms that perforation is imminent, but an oppressive feeling of foreboding hangs over me…This is it … I have to think through the only possible way out: to operate on myself … It’s almost impossible … but I can’t just fold my arms and give up
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Dr Leonid Rogozov
Rogozov (1934-2000) was a Russian surgeon who took part in the sixth Soviet Antarctic Expedition in 1960–1961 the only doctor stationed at the Novolazarevskaya Station. He developed appendicitis, and hours after writing in his journal, he performed a self-operation…
- Rogozov LI. Self Operation. Soviet Antarctic Expedition Information Bulletin. 1964; 223–224.
- Rogozov V, Bermel N. Auto-appendectomy in the Antarctic: case report. BMJ. 2009 Dec 10;339:b4965.
Question 2
While at a family function Dr Alison Seymour informed me that a certain percentage of the population can not detect the scent of Freesias, as high as 10% in certain groups. But, what can some doctors not smell that may delay a common endocrine disease?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Ketones in patients with DKA
One study stating this specific anosmia was present in up to 25% of doctors.
Also 12% of the population can not enjoy the pettiness of a good whisky. [Reference]
Question 3
A great reference: Boring and Boring (1917), wrote a study about temporal reference. What did they do?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Edwin and Lucy Boring woke people up at random intervals during the night to see if they could guess what time it was.
They don’t tell us how they got people to agree to take part, but they do say that, although not everyone could do it, most people got the answer right to within 15 minutes. [Reference]
- Boring LD, Boring EG. Temporal judgments after sleep. In: Studies in psychology. 1917.
- Carlson VR et al. Perception of the duration of sleep intervals as a function of EEG sleep stage. Physiological Psychology. 1978; 6(4): 497-500
Question 4
What is a toponymous disease? Can you give some examples?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Diseases that are named after places.
Hendra, Ross River, Bairnsdale, Murray Valley and Barmah Forest are all examples of Australian places that have had diseases named after them.
Question 5
How might a burst condom explain why a woman has profound metabolic acidosis with vasoconstriction and dilated pupils?
Reveal the funtabulous answer
Cocaine smuggling!
A condom stuffed with cocaine swallowed by a body packer will lead to these signs if it bursts.
FFFF
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five
Dr Neil Long BMBS FACEM FRCEM FRCPC. Emergency Physician at Kelowna hospital, British Columbia. Loves the misery of alpine climbing and working in austere environments (namely tertiary trauma centres). Supporter of FOAMed, lifelong education and trying to find that elusive peak performance.